Maria Murphy Creative

holidays

5 Easy Steps to Building a Charcuterie Board

Building a Charcuterie Board

It’s no secret that charcuterie boards are trending…and delicious!! Building a charcuterie board for other people can be intimidating sometimes, so I’ve created steps for you to make your very own Pinterest-worthy charcuterie board!

STEP ONE

The first step is picking out your base, this is where you will put all of the snacks! Your base can be a large cutting board, tray, platter, or even just a plate – whatever you choose or have around the house! Also, plan ahead for if any of your food needs to be put in a ramekin (honey for example) and place those on your base first to make sure you have room in the end. Here are a few of my favorite boards and trays that work great for a charcuterie base!

STEP TWO

The second step is to lay out your meat and cheeses, these will go on the platter first since they take up the most space. Place your larger blocks of cheese symmetrically apart from each other on the base, then fold or lay out your meats in between. My favorite deli meats and cheeses are usually meats like hard salami, prosciutto and pepperoni, and for cheeses I like to mix soft and hard cheese like brie, sharp white cheddar, goat cheese and smoked gouda. These days I have to mix in some dairy free cheese alternatives, so I like to place those in a small ramekin in the middle of the board.

Step 2 Building a Charcuterie Board

STEP THREE

The next step is adding in the extra foods that enhance the meat and cheese, like fruit, honey, preserves, olives, nuts, etc. You can start to fill in the gaps on your base with these items and use the small ramekins you placed on the board from step one.

STEP FOUR

The fourth step is adding crackers and or bread! Gimme all the carbs! I love so many different kinds of crackers and each one goes well with different types of meat and cheeses. Mixing up textures and flavor profiles (savory/sweet and hard/soft) will also help enhance more flavor for the meat and cheese!

STEP FIVE

The last step is tools! Add in your cheese knives, spoons and/or honey dippers, and any other kind of tool you will need to create each bite. Here are some of my favorite tools to elevate your board!

If you’re hosting or building a charcuterie board for a holiday party this year and find this post helpful be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see and share!

Cheers to a festive Holiday Season!!

Holiday Home Tour

It’s official. I’m that ‘tree is up before Thanksgiving’ person and I have no regrets! This year, I want to welcome you into my home for the holidays – virtually, of course! Welcome to the Murphy’s 2021 Holiday Home Tour!

When you walk through our door, you can smell cinnamon rolls and the fresh scent of pine (definitely from a candle!), there are probably kid toys laying around and dishes to be done, but it is all so worth it because it means our home is well-loved. As much as I love decorating for the holidays and giving gifts, none of it matters as much as spending time together as a family.

Like a lot of families, we spend most of our time in the kitchen and living room, so that is where I keep most of our holiday decor! In this season of life, less is more, and maybe as the years go on we will have mini trees and lights to decorate our boys’ bedrooms.

I love having seasonal greenery and adding in pops of red, it feels much more traditional and homey. Now that we have two kids and a shedding dog, I also like to freshen up our seating areas with new pillows each season! Also this year we added wreaths above our windows in the kitchen which is a small touch that makes a big difference.

Having beautiful decorations and items in your home is amazing, but it is not as much about how it looks, but how it makes you feel. However you choose to decorate your home and celebrate the holidays with loved ones, I hope we can all remember the core of what the holidays are truly about.

Need help getting your home ready for the holidays? Check out my suggestions for Holiday Decor! And be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest for more holiday updates and inspiration!

3 Hostess Gifts under $25

If you have ever hosted a holiday party or gathering, you know it is hard work! My favorite way to thank a host for any holiday gathering is a thoughtful gift that shows appreciation for all of the prep & coordination that goes into hosting. If you are looking for unique host or hostess gifts beyond the typical bottle of wine, here are three ideas you can recreate for under $25 each.

A cute cutting board and cheese knives is a great gift for your charcuterie board extraordinaire. If they love to host gatherings this will be a wonderful way for them to continuously use throughout the year!

Another host or hostess gift can be coasters and whiskey glasses with an airplane shooter! If your host enjoys whiskey or any other nice liquor, you can’t wrong with this one!

Last but not least, I created one a little more kitchen-themed. A kitchen towel, marble spoon rest and wooden spoons will be used again and again all year, especially for someone who loves to cook!

These are all gifts that your host or hostess will love! You can also make each gift look more festive by removing the original packaging and wrapping them up together with decorative ribbon and holiday sprigs!

Need help with other little gifts? Check out my ideas for Holiday Stocking Stuffers! And be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest for more holiday updates and inspiration!

Holiday Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family

It’s officially that time of year… Christmas Shopping! Whether you love it or hate it, I’m sure you’re in the middle of making your Christmas lists for you and your loved ones. To save you some time, I thought I’d share some items we personally put on our lists for Santa. Specifically for holiday stocking stuffers!

I know stocking stuffers can be a pain point because you’re not only looking for something that actually fits in the stocking, but you also want something that can be used beyond the holidays. Who needs Christmas socks past Christmas morning, am I right?

Here are some ideas to fill your stocking for the whole family!

Mason is really into arts and crafts right now and Miles will be teething, beginning solids, and entering so many fun developmental stages over the next year so I wanted to give Santa great ideas for both of my boys.

Now for mom, thank goodness so many of our favorite things are small. Lipstick/gloss, jewelry, the list goes on! Here are a few of my favorite holiday stocking stuffers.

We all know dads can be tricky! For Josh I think about things he can use for productivity, working out, and the weekends! Hope these items spark some ideas for you!

Be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest for more holiday updates and inspiration!

Dairy Free Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving this year will look different for us, not only because we are a family of four, but I am dairy-free while nursing Miles! Dietary restrictions around the holidays can be so hard to navigate, but since I’ve been searching for ideas for myself, I decided to put together a list of dairy-free Thanksgiving sides for you or for any guests who may need a dairy-free option!

I’ve had to go dairy free in the past for nursing with my oldest son, Mason, so over the years I’ve learned easier alternatives like using unsweetened almond or oat milk as a milk replacement or vegan butter for dishes like mashed potatoes or even your roasted turkey. But since some other dishes are trickier to find alternatives, I found some great recipes to try this year.

A lot of dairy-free mac and cheese recipes include cashews in the cheese recipe, a few years ago when I was trying to figure out my sensitivities to food, I found out that cashews are an issue for me! So I’ve included a cashew-free mac and cheese recipe below along with some great classic Thanksgiving sides.

1. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
2. Cashew Free Baked Mac and Cheese
3. Dinner Rolls
4. Stuffing
5. Greenbean Casserole 
6. Pumpkin Pie

Best Holiday Decorations at Home Stores

It’s officially the holiday season — my favorite home stores launched the best holiday decorations and I couldn’t help but round up my top picks!

First off, Target always has great selections for every holiday launch, but this year’s Christmas and holiday decor hits different. A lot of items have already been launched, so if you see something you like, act quickly! I have a feeling lots of pieces will sell out quickly. Here are my top picks from Target this year, keeping it minimal and along the same color palette allows for timeless pieces in your home!

Pottery Barn and West Elm both have higher-end pieces, sometimes holiday decorations like ornaments, stockings, and a faux tree are worth the splurge in my opinion, these are decorations you will be pulling out year after year! Shop my top picks from West Elm and Pottery Barn here!

Walmart has amazing selections that are affordable and just as quality as the others! Pieces like candle sticks, throw pillows and small knick-knacks from the Better Homes and Gardens collection are perfect touches to any holiday decor!

Be sure to follow along with my holiday decor process on Instagram and Pinterest for more updates and inspiration!

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